Improvement in nose-bags for horses



E. J. B. WHITAKER. Nose-Bags for Horses.

Patented Mar. 18, I879.

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N. PETERS. PNOTWUTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON 13.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ELIJAH J. B. WHITAKER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN NOSE-BAGS FOR HORSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,479, dated March18, 1879 application filed February 7, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH J. B. WHITA- KER, of Baltimore city, State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nose-Bags for Horses; and I hereby declare the same to be fully, clearly, andexactly described as follows, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device complete;Fig. 2, a top view of the bag.

My invention relates to nose-ba gs, in the use of which the naturalmovement of the animals head toward the fodder draws the bag upon hismuzzle and enables him to take as much or as little fodder into hismouth as he pleases, and the equally natural lifting of his head duringthe process of mastication allows the bag to drop from around the faceof the animal. These results are attained by attaching the cords fromwhich the bag is suspended to the check-rein hook or hames, or otherpart of the harness upon the body of the horse, the cords being ledthrough rings or pulleys upon the bridle or other head-gear.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the feed-bag, preferably constructedof canvas, and having a smooth wooden, metallic, or canvas bottom, whichmay be finely perforated if desired. Cords O are attached at either sideto the bag, and are led through rings b, depending from the rings 1), towhich are affixed the headstraps B B, constituting the headsta-ll. Knotsc in the cords prevent the bag from falling beyond a certain distance,the cords being joined beyond the knots, as illustrated.

The straps B B resemble in construction and operation those of anordinary bridle, except that the latter is provided with a metallic rib,D, curved in such manner as to hold the rings 1) b away from the sidesof the horses head and prevent his neck from being chafed by the cordsG.

A front strap, D, connects the strap B with the front of the bag andsubserves two functions: it serves to hold the bag horizontal, anddirects the muzzle of the animal into the bag. It is of especialimportance in the case of blind horses.

A strap, a, is riveted to the upper front on the inside edge of the bag,which is puckered, as shown, resulting in a series of longitudinalcorrugations, which serve as airchannels in front of the animalsnostrils.

A horse does not need to be broken into the use of the bag. They allfeed from it in the proper manner at the first using, and this even ifthe horse be blind. The smell of the fodder causes him to instinctivelylower his head, and this motion raises the bag and its contents to hismonth.

As additional security, a throat-latch, 0, may be attached to the ring Dor b.

I claim- 1. In combination with the headstall, the bag A, provided withthe front strap, I), as set forth.

2. In combination with the bag A, provided with the front strap, B, theheadstall having a metallic rib, D, and the cords O, as set forth.

3. In combination with the bag A, provided with the pnckering-strap a,the cords G, and headstall, substantially as described.

ELIJAH J. B. WHITAKER.

Witnesses:

R. D. WILLIAMS, J. O. GITTINGER.

